Business

Saturday February 14, 2009

Yoong eager to promote local motorsports


GETTING into F1 is the apex of a driver’s career and the experience of being involved in the sport is something Alex Yoong will forever cherish.

Yoong, who is the only Malaysian driver to have driven in a F1 race, now uses the knowledge and experience learnt from those gruelling races in his current career – driving for Malaysia-based team QI-Meritus.Mahara, a racing outfit for a series called GP2 Asia.

Alex Yoong has one simple advice for those who aspire to drive a F1 car some day... Work hard!

“It is the pinnacle of motorsports and it was a fantastic experience but I’m not looking to move back there. I’m looking at other things now.

“I’m at that stage where I won’t be driving for much longer and I need to develop a lot of opportunities. My passion is to contribute to the growth of local motorsports here,” says the 32-year-old.

Yoong, who has been driving since he was 15, was contracted with the Minardi F1 team at the end of the 2001 F1 season and subsequently went on to race for the team in the 2002 season.

He drove in 15 F1 races in 2001 and 2002, with his best result being seventh in the 2002 Australian grand prix. From 2005 to 2008, Yoong drove for A1 Team Malaysia in the A1GP series.

The involvement with F1 has been a boost for his career, but he vividly remembers the difficulties of breaking into the F1 scene.

“I was trying to get into F1 during the Asian financial crisis. In 1998 and 1999, I was in Britain and was trying to get sponsorships and my budget doubled from RM4.50 to the (Sterling) pound to RM9 to the pound. It was a horrible time for me.”

Yoong says that it is tougher for an Asian driver to break into F1. “It’s harder for us because the (F1) tryouts are usually held in Europe. It’s hard to get an Asian sponsor because when they get to Europe, the sponsors get little or no exposure at all.

“So ultimately, it is up to you guys (the press) if you want to see another F1 driver,” he says.

For those who aspire to drive a F1 car some day, Yoong has just one simple advice: “Work hard!”

“It’s a long road. If you think it’s all about glamour and riches, than I would suggest that you don’t even try to get on that road,” he says.

“It’s not like a lot of other sports where you just need a padang somewhere to practice. You need support, money and third-party backing. Most importantly, unless you’re willing to work hard for it, don’t get on that road.”

But a successful career in motorsports is still possible, says Yoong. “If you want to take racing as a career and become a driver, go for it. There are lots of opportunities today and go-karting is the best way to get into it. It’s both affordable and fun.”

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